President Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration

President Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration issued on January 27, 2017, created uncertainty and confusion for many, including students at Hamilton. This timeline provides background on what has transpired since the order was first issued.

The situation remains dynamic, therefore, please continue to refer to this page for updates and resources.

June 26, 2018

The Supreme Court ruled to uphold President Donald Trump's travel ban by a 5-4 margin along partisan lines.

December 4, 2017

The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the newest version of the Trump administration's travel ban to take effect pending appeal. The ban places various restrictions on foreign nationals from eight countries.

October 17, 2017

President Trump’s most recent attempt to restrict travelers from eight countries from entering the United States was temporarily blocked when a federal judge in Hawaii issued a nationwide order freezing most of the administration’s third travel ban the day before it was to go into effect.

September 24, 2017

The Trump administration unveiled new travel restrictions on certain foreigners from eight countries as a replacement to its previous travel ban signed earlier this year. New restrictions will go into effect on Wednesday, October 18, 2017.

July 19, 2017

The Supreme Court ruled that its strict enforcement on its refugee ban could stay in place – at least until a federal appeals court weighs in. However, the justices did leave in place a lower court order that makes it easier for travelers from six Muslim-majority countries to enter the U.S.

July 13, 2017

A federal judge in Hawaii expanded the scope of the travel ban – allowing additional family members to come to the U.S.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson ruled that a “bona fide relationship” needed before entering the U.S. can include grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins of people already in the U.S.

June 29, 2017

Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed that the partial travel ban is slated to go into effect at 8 p.m. ET this evening.

June 28, 2017

The Trump administration set new criteria for visa applicants from six mainly Muslim nations and all refugees that require a “close” family or business tie to the U.S.

The new guidelines say that applicants from the six countries must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling in the U.S. Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-laws and sisters-in-law, fiancees or other extended family members are not considered to be close relationships.

June 26, 2017

In allowing parts of Trump’s executive order to take effect, the court narrowed the scope of injunctions that lower courts put on the temporary travel ban.

The Supreme Court allowed implementation of the temporary ban on entry into the U.S. of citizens of six Muslim-majority nations, with an exception for people who have what the court called “any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.” That includes foreign nationals with familial connections in the U.S., students who have already been admitted into an American university and workers with existing job offers in the U.S.

For people from the six countries who have such connections, the injunctions put in place by the lower courts were upheld. These individuals will not be barred under the executive order from coming into the U.S.

June 13, 2017

A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to reinstate President Trump’s original executive order on travel in February.

March 29, 2017

A federal judge in Hawaii extended the order blocking the travel ban until the state’s lawsuit is resolved.

March 16, 2017

In an additional case, a judge in Maryland handed down a nationwide preliminary injunction on part of the executive order.

March 15, 2017

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson issued a temporary restraining order that prevented the travel ban from taking effect March 16.

March 8, 2017

The state of Hawaii became the first state to challenge the revised executive order.

March 6, 2017

President Trump signed the new executive order. The revised order officially revoked the first travel ban. Immigration was suspended from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen for 90 days following the order’s implementation, but Iraq was removed from the list.

The second draft signed by Trump also removed the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees and allowed for entry by those already in possession of a valid visa to enter the country, no matter their origin.

February 9, 2017

The 9th Circuit Court ruled against reinstating the travel restriction. The unanimous ruling from a three-judge panel means that citizens of the seven countries will continue to be able to travel to the U.S., despite the Presidential Executive Order that was signed into law last month.

February 5, 2017

A federal appeals court rejected a request by the Justice Department to immediately restore the Presidential Executive Order targeted travel restriction.

February 4, 2017

The U.S. Justice Department appealed the Federal District Court ruling, saying that the president had the constitutional authority to order the restriction and that the court ruling “second-guesses the president’s national security judgment.”

February 3, 2017

A Federal District Court in Seattle blocked the Presidential Executive Order nationwide.

January 30, 2017

Hamilton President David Wippman’s sent a message to the College Community about the Executive Order

January 27, 2017

President Trump issued an Executive Order suspending entry into the United States (U.S.) of immigrants and nonimmigrants from seven countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — for 90 days. Also, all refugee admissions were suspended for 120 days. During that time, screening procedures were toughened and the secretary of Homeland Security, working with other Cabinet officials, determined what information was needed from other countries to determine whether an individual seeking entry to the United States was a security risk. The order asserts that countries that are unable to or refuse to comply may end up on a future list.

Since this date, legal challenges were filed and changes have been made to interpretation of the original Order.

March 6, 2017

The Trump administration rescinded its original Executive Order and issued a revision. The new Executive Order now temporarily restricts immigration into the United States from six of the original seven countries (Iraq was taken off of the list). Citizens from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen will be subject to a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. The order will go into effect on Thursday, March 16. It does not revoke existing visas approved before that date and does not apply to current lawful permanent residents and green card holders. According to the State Department, visas revoked because of the original travel ban have been fully restored.

The order still seeks to curb the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. (to no more than 50,000 in 2017), but it no longer places a total ban on Syrian refugees trying to enter the U.S. Instead, refugees — including those from Syria — will be subjected to a 120-day suspension of the refugee program.

March 15, 2017

A federal judge in Hawaii ruled that President Trump’s revised travel ban be blocked nationwide hours before it was to go into effect at midnight on Thursday, March 16.